The Christmas Baby
by Emmint
Summary: A young heavily pregnant woman has been tormented by the lack of sympathy for her rape ordeal nine months previously. She has enough money to get to Dodge City open a bakery and to live for a month but no more. Just a short story that came to me suddenly on the way home one day, hope you enjoy. I hope it would fit the criteria for one of the half hour story-lines.


**North Platte, Nebraska**:

Sheriff Con Groner assisted Katie Milner up into the stage. "Mrs Philips said as how she hoped you had better luck in Dodge City."

"Sheriff Groner, the only woman I respect in this town is your wife, and she isn't part of the Ladies Committee. You tell the others to go to Hell," Con knew where she was coming from, Dawkins had destroyed her life when he raped her almost nine months before, and the attitude of the Ladies Committee hadn't helped.

"You write to us when you're settled," Con said; he felt thoroughly ashamed of the way Katie had been treated. Katie settled herself as comfortable as possible by the door of the stage as it pulled out.

**Dodge City, Kansas**

Christmas Eve, five days after pulling out of North Platte, the stage arrived in Dodge City. Marshal Matt Dillon was coming out of the Express Office with Chester Goode when the stage pulled in. "Evening, Pete," Matt said. "Good trip?"

"Good enough, Matt," Pete jumped down and opened the stage door. "Dodge City, Ma'am," he helped Katie down from the stage, she groaned and collapsed, Matt caught her he lifted her into his arms. "Damn, knew she shouldn't have been on the stage."

"Don't worry; I'll get her to Doc's. Chester, you better get Miss Kitty over to Doc's the lady's going to be needing her," Matt lifted her more securely into his arms and carried her down the street, he ducked his head as passed under Doc's sign and up the stairs to knock at the door. Doc Adams opened the door.

"Bring her straight through to the back, Matt. Know anything about her?"

"No, she just came in on the evening stage. Collapsed just as she got down from it."

"Fell right into your arms, I suppose," Doc said.

"As a matter of fact she did. I just happened to be there. How is she, Doc?"

"Pregnant, Matt, about to give birth, she's lucky to get here," Chester came in with Kitty.

"I brought Miss Kitty, Mister Dillon," Chester said.

"Kitty, glad you could come," Doc said, "one of Matt's better ideas. Matt, you and Chester out, this lady isn't going to want either one of you around now," Matt and Chester went into Doc's front room. Kitty came out and started water boiling and fetched towels. Matt leaned on Doc's desk his arms crossed, Chester started to pace up and down.

"Chester, sit down, this baby will be born when it wants not before."

"Mister Dillon, she must have been really desperate to make this trip."

"Chester, see if Pete's still here, ask him what he knows about her."

"Sure thing," Chester left glad to be doing something, he found Pete getting ready to make the return trip to Kansas City. "Pete, Mister Dillon wants to know if you know anything about the lady that collapsed."

"Her name's Katie Milner," Pete said, "her ticket said she came from North Platte, Nebraska."

"Thanks, Pete," Chester returned to Doc's office, Matt was in the same position he looked up as Chester came in. "Mister Dillon, her name's Katie Milner and according to Pete her ticket said she came from North Platte, Nebraska."

"Ask Barney to send a telegraph to the North Platte sheriff find out why she was on the stage," Chester left again and went to the telegraph office.

"Barney, Mister Dillon needs to you to send a telegraph to the sheriff of North Platte, Nebraska. Ask him why Katie Milner was on the stage."

"Right," Barney started to send the wire. "Has Doc said how she is?"

"No, but he will as soon as anything happens," the telegraph came to life; Barney listened to the code and wrote down the reply, he handed the telegraph to Chester.

"Sheriff Groner, he said the ladies of the town forced her to leave. She was raped nine months ago by a man called Dawkins. Sheriff Groner shot him dead as he tried to run."

"And the good ladies of North Platte decided it was her fault I suppose?" Barney nodded; Chester returned to Doc's feeling frustrated and angry that people could be so stupid.

"What's wrong, Chester?" Matt asked; Chester handed the telegraph over.

"Damn, no wonder she was desperate," Matt looked at the door as Doc came in. "How is she?"

"She's fine, Matt, just in labor. She's going to give birth very soon now," Doc said.

"Curly, she needs you," Kitty called Doc into the room, Matt looked at the time, one minute to midnight.

"Mister Dillon, looks like we might have a Christmas baby born right here in Dodge," Chester said.

"Seems like that, just a shame she had to suffer so much, we'll keep her secret you tell Barney no one must know how what happened to her," Chester nodded and went back to the telegraph office.

"Barney, Mister Dillon says to keep what happened to Miss Milner quiet. She's going to give birth soon."

"On Christmas day?" Chester nodded. "Tell Matt, I'll keep it quiet they won't find out from me," Chester nodded and returned to Doc's office.

"Mister Dillon, Barney says as how her secret's safe with him," Matt nodded.

"Good," they looked up as the baby's cries came from the next room; Matt looked at the clock which now showed one o'clock.

"What do you know; wonder what she'd going to call it?" Doc came in.

"A boy, a fine boy. Matt, she asked how she got here; I told her you carried her from the Express office. She called the boy after you," Matt looked astonished and embarrassed at the same time. Miss Kitty came in carrying the infant.

"You know, Cowboy, that's just what I thought you'd look like when you heard that piece of news," Kitty said, "Beetroot red isn't the color that should be associated with a Marshal," Miss Kitty handed the infant to Matt, he stared down at the boy not really sure what he should do. "Katie, said she wants you, Chester and Doc to be his Godfathers and me as Godmother,"

"Well, Kitty, I think you'll be perfect as a Godmother not sure about me as a Godfather though," Matt said.

"I don't think you have much choice, Matt. He's going to need a man's influence and who better than a marshal," Kitty watched him as he smiled down at his Godson, and not for the first time wished he would stop saying no and take her as his wife.


End file.
